Removable roof for toy cars



Oct. 27, 1931. M. CARUSO REMOVABLE ROOF FOR TOY CARS Filed Feb. 5, 1931 INVENTOR /yar/'o Caruso. BY

ATTOR N EY Patented Oct. 27, 1931 arten STATES PATENT OFFICE MAEEO CLRUSO, F RVINGTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE LIONEL CORPORA- TIGN, GF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NE'VTI YORK REMOVABLE ROOF FOR TOY CARS Application filed February 3, 1931.

be released from abutment members carriedv by he car body and lifted off the car body.

he invention also contemplates securing means for detachably fastening the toy car roof to the car body, this securing means being in the 'form of spring controlled catch members adapted to engage notched abutments carried by the car body. rlChese catch members are capable ot being grasped or squeezed so as to release them from the .abutments and permit removal of the roof to permit access to the interior of the car.

A further object of the invention is to so arrange the parts that the catch members are moved out of their normal condition against the spring tension by stationary cam means acting on them when the roof is being placed on the car body. lf desired, the cam means and catch members may be arranged 4so that they interengage, after the separation of the catch members trom the abutments, to eect a positive lifting action on the car root to overcome any sticking of the parts.

ther and further objects will appear as the description proceeds. y

The accompanying drawings show, for purpose ot illustration, two of the many possible embodiments in which the present invention may take form, it being understood that the drawings are illustrative of the invention which may be embodied in various forms.

ln these drawings:

Figure l is a top plan lview of a toy car with a portion of the roof broken away to show the root secu ing means;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a portion ot the removable roof and toy car;

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of the roof securing means, the dot and dash lines indicating the catch members in releasing position;

Figure a is a longitudinal view on the line ot Figure 3;

Serial No. 513,096.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5--5 ot Figures l, 3 and 4;

Figure 6 is an elevational view in the direction of the arrow G in Figure 8;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of modified form of construction;

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 8 8 of Figure 7.

A toy car body of usual construction is indicated at l0. lt is provided with a number ot cross braces 1l, equally spaced from the center of the car. 'lhese cross braces may consist of channel shaped pieces of sheet metal, as indicated in Figures 1l and 5, and may be secured to the car body by bent prongs as indicated at l2, these prongs being integral with the side stampings of the car body. In the form shown in Figures l to 6 inclusive these cross braces carry centrally disposed upwardly exending abutments 13 of arrowhead shape. They have opposed notches let and are tapered above the notches to provide cam surface l5.

The root-forming stamping is indicated at 20. This stamping; together with a decliorming stampingv2l, is designed to cover the car body and give it the appearance of a standard railway car. 'I he deck-forming stamping 2l secured to the roof stamping 20 by prongs 22 passing through holes 23 in the roof-forming stamping and bent up in the usual manner. rlhe root forming stamping is apertured as indicated at 24C to permit the abutments 13 to pass upwardly as indicated. The space inside the deck forming stamping 21 and above the rooic forming stamping 20 is utilized to house the roof securing devices which are cooperative with the abutment members 13.

The roof securing means carried by the root forming members take the form of pre` assembled units as indicated at A. They are identical and are mounted symmetrically with respect to the center of the car. Each unit includes a sub-base or plate 25 which pivotally carries two catch members 26 and 27 connected together by a spring 28 and mounted as indicated at 29. The front or lower catch member 27 has an upper or rear eXtension 30 provided with a linger piece 3l adaptmember 36 while the two lugs 34 projecting through the opening act't'o hold the catch members close to the 'plate 25.

.fThe catch members 26 and 27 spring 28 and l sub-base or plate 25A are in the formof pre- `assembled units and may be secured to the roof forming stamping 2O by `upwardly bent projections or lugs as indicated at 37.

TVVhcn the car roof is in position onthe` car body as indicated in the drawings the catch members 26 and 27 are held in the notches 14-,14 by the spring 28 thereby sef 'l curely holding the roof on the car body. To

release the roof it ismerely necessary tofg'rasp the pairs of projections or linger pieces 31, pinch them togetherV andk then lift the roof off Y the 'car body.

To facilitate-removal of the roof from the l car body the catch members 26 and 27' mayVv be provided with extensions 38 and 391 as indicated; yThese extensions are normally spaced away-fromthe cam surfacesV 15415 f. but are designed so that, when thecatch mem` bers are Vpressed to separate -them far enough Vto clear' the notches, they then come against the cam surfaces and act to lift the'car roof away from the car body. This overcomes any tendency-fertile parts to stick on account of the close fitting oftheA stamped roof and body. y

vWhen one desires to replace the roof it is merely necessary to put itonftop-oi thecarbody so that the abutment members 13 pass up ythroughA holes 24 in the roof. The small' end ot these. abutment members will pass'be-f ytween the catch members 26 and 27 andthe cam surfaces l5 will-act to'spread these members-as pressure is applied to press the roof f down in to place. Owing to the symmetrical arrangement it makes no difference whether the rootl is reversed end for end-asit willl fit y. in either position.` "f

`ln the modiiication shown inFigures 7 andvthe abutment member 40 has two 0pposed'notches 41-41-simil'ar inv purpose toV the notches 1%14, except that they facel oneY l another andareadapted to receive. the 'catch' members between them. The abutment member 40 also has cam surfaces 42-42fsimilar to cam surfaces 15-15- Vie'subplate 43,'similar to the subplate 25,.v carries two'catch' members 44-'45 similar in purpose" vto the catch. vmembers 261 :and '27..

,44 and 45 areprovided with extensions 5l Yand 52 normally spaced from the cam members 42' as indicated.V

When the finger grips 48 are pressed to ward one another they become released from the notches and the lifter extensions 5l and 52 vengage the cam surfaces 42, to vassist in raising the root oli the car body. The catch members are spaced as indicated at 53 so as'to limit their inward movement. Y

It wil-l, of course, be understood that the root lifting extensions 38,*39 or 51-f52 may be omitted it desired. Y

lt? is obvious that the invention may be embodiedV in many forms and kconstructions within the 'scope kof the claims, and IV wish Vitto be understood that the particular forms stamping for covering vthe car'bovdy, a longitudinally. extending, deck-o-rming stamping secured Vto the roof'stamping to simulate the .appearance of a standardrai-lway car, the

cross brace carrying an upwardly extending anchorage device passing through the roof stamping fand entering the space within' the deck-forming stamping, and 'root securing means carried by the rootforming stamping and housed within the decir-forming stamping-,the secu-ringmeans including springactuated members noianally interengageable with the anchorage device to prevent removal'of the roof. l`

2. In a toy car, a car body, a cross brace 'carried at the top thereof, a car-roei"- forming stampingA for covering the carbody, a longitudinal-ly extending,` declntorming stamping secured toV therooft stamping to simulate the appearanceot a standard railwayy car, the

crossfbrace carrying an upwardly extending f Y notched vanchorage device passing througl-r the roof stamping and entering the space within the declnforming,stamping, and roof securing' means carried by the roof Jforming stamping and housedA within the vdeclcfor'ming stamping, t-he securing means including spring actuatedmembers normally entering theinotches in the'anc'horage device to prevent removal of the roof. Y. f V

3'. Ina' toy car, acar body,'a cross brace carried at the top thereof, a car-roof forming stamping for.' covering` the ycarbody,` a longitudinally extending, 4deck-forming stan'ip'i-ngV secured to the roof stamping to simulate the appearance of a standard railway car, the cross brace carrying an upwardly extending notched anchorage device passing through the roof stamping and entering the space within the decir-forming stamping, and roof securing means carried by the roof forming stamping and housed within the deck-forming stamping, the securing means including spring actuated members normally entering the notches in the anchorage device to prevent removal of the roof, the anchorage also carrying cam means above the notches for moving the spring actuated mem ers against the spring pressure when the roof is being placed on the car body so that the members are forced into the notches.

fl. In a toy car, a car body, a cross brace carried at the top thereof, a car-roof forming stamping for covering the car body, a longitudinally extending, deck-forming stamping secured to the roof stamping to simulate the appearance of a standard railway car, the cross brace carrying an upwardly extending anchorage device passing through the root stamping and entering the space within the deelt-forming stamping, roof securing means carriedby the roof forming stamping and housed within the deck-forming stamping, the securing means including spring actuated members normally interengageable with the anchorage device to prevent removal of the roof and manually operable releasing means s for the securing means extending laterally through the deck-forming stamping.

5. In a toy car, a car body, cross braces carried at the top thereof, a car-roof forming stamping for covering the car body, a extending, deck-forming stamping secured to the roof stamping to simulate the appearance of a standard railway car, the cross braces each carrying an upwardly extending anchorage device passing through the roof stamping and entering the space within the deck-forming stamping, and roof securing means carried by the roof forming stamping and housed within the deck-forming stamping, the securing means including pairs of spring actuated members each normally interengageable with an anchorage device to prevent removal of the roof, the anchorages and securing means being arranged symmetrical so that the roof Y is reversible end for end.

for detachably securing the car roof to the car body, comprising a rigid upwardly extending anchorage carried by the car body, spring actuated members carried by the car roof and engageable with the anchorage, the configuration of the parts being such as to hold the roof in place, and externally accessible releasing devices .for moving the spring actuated members to release them from the anchorage.

8. In a toy car, the combination with a toy car body and toy car roof, of securing means for detachably securing the car roof to the car body, comprising two rigid upwardly extending anchorages carried by the car body, two pairs of spring actuated members carried by the car roof and engageable with the anchorages, the configuration of the part-s being such as'to hold the roof in place, and externally accessible releasing devices for moving the spring actuated members to release them from the anchorages, the parts being symmetrically arranged so that the roof is reversible end for end.

9. In a toy car, the combination with a toy car body and toy car roof, of securing means for detachably securing the car roof to the car body, comprising a rigid upwardly extending anchorage carried by the car body, the anchorage having opposed notches spring actuated members supported from the car roof and entering the notches when the roof is in place, and finger pieces for releasing the members from the notches.

l0. In a toy car, the combination with a toy car body and toy car roof, of securing means for detachably securing the car roofl to the car body, comprising a rigid upwardly extending anchorage carried by the car body, the anchorage having opposed notches and cams above the notches, spring actuated members supported from the car roof and entering the notches when the roof is in place, and linger' pieces for releasing the members from the notches, the cams acting to move the members against the spring pressure when the roof is being secured in position.

ll. A toy car having a car body, cross braces carried by the car body and anchorage members carried thereby and extending upwardly, the members having opposed notches intermediate the length thereof and opposed cam surfaces above the notches.

l2. In a toy car, a car roof stamping, a deck forming stamping, the roof stamping supporting two pivoted catch members, a spring biasing the catch members toward a predetermined position, laterally extending finger pieces accessible outside the deck stamping and above the roof stamping for moving the catch members toward another position, a car body and an anchorage carried by the car body and against which the spring urges the catch members, the catch members being released when the finger pieceskare actuated 'i 13.1n a toy car, a car roof stamping, a deck forming stamping, the roof stamping supporting two, pivoted jcatch members, a spring biasingthecatch memberstoward a predeterminedl position, laterally rextending linger pieces accessible v youtside they *deck stamping and above the rooic stamping vfor moving the catch members toward-f another position, a carbody and an anchorage carried by the car body and*V against which the spring urges the catch members, the catch members being released when the vfinger pieces are actuated,\the anchorage having opposed notches to receive theY catch members When the roo-i is in place and opposed camsy to actuate the catch members against vthe spring pressureV when the roof is being placed on the car body.

le. A securing device for toy car roofs com prising a plate adapted to be secured to a toy car roof, tWocatch members pivoted to the plate, a spring interconnecting them to urge themto one direction, lateral extensions from the catch members adapted to be gripped between the thumb and fingerl to move the catch members inthe other direction and stops for limiting the movement in either direction, f

15. A securing. device for toy car roofs` comprisinga plateadaptedto besecuredto a toy car roet, two catch members pivoted to Vthe plate, a spring interconnecting them-itc urge them in onel direction, lateral extensions from the catch members adapted to be gripped between the thumb andngerwto Y move the catch'inembers in the other direc;

tion, stops for limiting themovement in either direction, anda guide for the Jree ends' of the catch members tohold them close to thefplate.

16; In atoy1cara car body, a cross brace carried lat the top '-ther'eof,y a careroo' formlng stamping for' coveringl the car Vbod-y, alongitudinally A extending, deck-forming stamping secured v to lthe roof stamping to simulate the appearance of a standard railway car, the' cross brace carrying an upwardly extending notched anchorage device passing through the vroof stamping and entering v the space Within the deck-forming stamping, roof securing means carried` by the roof formmg stampingk and housed ,Within the deck yintermediate the length thereof and opposed cam surfacesed)ove the notches, and a car .roof having spring actuated catch membersrnormall-y entering the notches to'hold the roof on the car body, the catch members being manually movable to release them, from the,

notches and being then engageable with the y cams to lift the roof v'away from the car body. v l i i Y,

lSigned at New York, in the county of New Yorkyand StateofrNeW York, this 29 day of January, 1931. Y n Y Y MARIO CARUSO.

' ico forming stamping, the-securing .means finl cluding spring` actuated membersv normally entering the notches in the anchorage device Y to prevent removalof'the roo-, and cam means effective after the catch members have beenv moved ont of the notches for lifting theca-r roei away from' the'carrbody. Y y

17.v In a toy car, a car bodyY carrying npward-ly extending notched'anch'orages provided with cams above thefnotches, andaba-r roofl carrying manually lI-ele'asable Vs Vring!v closingcatch members engageabl'e'fwit the' :fj notches to holdtherooton thecar'body, the i lil-5 

